Potato Cheese Soup

I love this soup. Especially during the cold winter months!

Ingredients:
4 medium potatoes chopped
1 large onion chopped
2 cans of chicken broth
8 0z Velveeta cheese chopped
salt
pepper

Directions:
Bring potatoes, onion, chicken broth and a pinch of salt and pepper to a boil. Cover and cook until potatoes are tender (about 10 minutes). Put most of the potato mixture in the blender - leaving about 1/3 of the potatoes in the pot if you want some chunks in your soup. Blend the potato mixture until smooth (I add all of the liquid to the blender). Return mixture to the pot. Add the Velveeta cheese to the soup. Stir until completely melted. You may need to add a little bit of water (maybe 1/2 cup) to the soup to make it the consistency you would like it. Top soup with a bit of grated cheddar cheese and bacon bits.

Snickers Fruit Salad

My in-laws always make this salad and I love it! Plus it is really easy to make!

Chopped green apples (I used Granny Smith)
Grapes (I used red)
4-6 Snickers bars chopped
1 container of whipped cream

There are no specific measurements. You just toss everything together in the whipped cream and serve. You can make it a few hours ahead of time and store it in the fridge. Enjoy!

Ultimate Mexican Dinner... mmm ;)

Sweet Rice

Ingredients:

1/2-1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 of a white onion, chopped (add more or less to your taste)
1 1/3 cups white rice
3 cups chicken broth
1/4-1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 bunch fresh cilantro


Directions:

Put a little oil in bottom of pan (maybe about 1/2-1 tablespoon). Saute chopped onion until transluecent. Add the rice, cooking until it is light brown (being careful not to burn). Combine the chicken broth and sugar, letting sugar disolve. Then stir into rice until combined. Bring to a boil. Cover and let cook on low, med-low until rice is done, about 25-30 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Add the chopped cinlantro (no big stems) before serving.

Basic Bean Recipe

Ingredients:

1 bag beans of your choice

1 onion chopped

3 tbs garlic

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions:

Rinse beans. Make sure there are no rocks or dirt. Add to crock pot. Add double the water to beans. Add the rest of the ingredients. Cook on low overnight or on high for 8-10 hours.

For Refried Beans: Cook Pinto beans using basic bean recipe. When fully cooked puree in blender or food processor until smooth (if you don't have either just mash with fork or potato masher until you get desired consistency). Then heat 1 tbs oil in skillet. Fry beans while stirring occasionally 5-10 mins. For a healthier version do not fry beans.

Shredded Pork/Beef

Coming soon... I have to double-check the ingredients.

Super Yummy Broccoli Grape Salad

1 head broccoli, cut stems and tops in small pieces
2 cups red grapes
1 pack bacon cooked and cut into small pieces (if you are in a hurry you could also use bacon bits)
1 cup toasted slivered almonds
1 cup finely chopped celery (optional)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion (optional)

Mix the above ingredients than add the dressing and stir.

Dressing:
1 cup mayonnaise
1 T vinegar
1/2 cup sugar



This salad has been a super hit wherever I take it and is my husbands new favorite. Hope you enjoy!

Spicy Coconut Shrimp with Spicy Mango Basil Salsa and Lime Jasmine Rice

I was in the mood for some shrimp... so we made this for dinner the other night! It's delicious! We will definitely make this again...

Recipe courtesy Dave Lieberman (Food Network)

Ingredients

Salsa:

• 1 mango, peeled and finely diced
• 3 scallions, sliced
• 5 basil leaves, julienned
• 1 lime, juiced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Shrimp:

• 2 fresh jalapenos, sliced *I only used 1 and took out the seeds because I don't LOVE spicy food... so it made it very mild
  
• 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2--inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 lime, zested
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• Small handful basil leaves, torn
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 15 grinds pepper
• 1 pound peeled, deveined shrimp
• Lime Jasmine Rice, recipe follows

Directions

For the salsa: Combine all ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Make up to a day in advance. Keep covered in the refrigerator.

For the shrimp: In a mixing bowl, combine jalapenos, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime zest, coconut milk, basil, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Add the shrimp and marinate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours, refridgerated.

Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Use tongs or a fork to remove the shrimp from the marinade and place in an even layer in the pan, reserving the marinade.

Cook the shrimp until well browned on each side, turning once, about 3 to 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked shrimp to a serving plate.

Add reserved marinade to pan, bring to a boil and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.

Pour over the cooked shrimp and serve with Lime Jasmine Rice and Mango Salsa.

Lime Jasmine Rice:

1 cup jasmine rice

3/4 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup water

Pinch salt

1/2 lime, zested

Put the rice, coconut milk, water, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a simmer. Cover and gently simmer until liquid is absorbed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the lime zest. Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 to 4 servings

White Chili

Sooooo good...

White Chili

2 pounds dried great northern beans (6 cans)
1 ½ cups diced onion
1 tablespoon cooking oil
1 tablespoon ground oregano
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 ½ teaspoons seasoned salt
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 ½ quarts chicken broth (1 qt if using canned beans)
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 boneless chicken breast halves, cubed
2 cans (4 ounces each) chopped green chilies

Place beans in a saucepan; cover with water and bring to a boil. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Soak 1 hour; drain and rinse. In a 5 qt. Dutch oven, sauté onion in oil until tender. Combine seasonings; add half to Dutch oven. Sauté 1 minute. Add beans, broth and garlic; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 2 hours. Coat chicken with remaining seasoning mixture; place in a 15 in x 10 in x 1 in baking pan. Bake at 350o for 15 minutes or until juices run clear; add to beans. Stir in chilies. Simmer 1 ½ - 2 hours. Yield: 20 servings.

THE bananna muffins

So here they are the muffins from social studies! don't make the same mistake I did and add all of the brown sugar into the batter, most of it is for the topping. But, as you all still tasted it's still good even with the extra sugar...enjoy
Kamden


Banana Crumb Muffins
INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking soda
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 3 bananas, mashed
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1/3 cup butter, melted
* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
* 1 tablespoon butter

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease 10 muffin cups, or line with muffin papers.
2. In a large bowl, mix together 1 1/2 cups flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened. Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
3. In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle topping over muffins.
4. Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.

Homemade Ice Cream

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup milk or half & half
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons rock salt
1 pint-size plastic food storage bag (e.g., Ziploc)
1 gallon-size plastic food storage bag
Ice cubes

How to make it:
Fill the large bag half full of ice, and add the rock salt. Seal the bag.
Put milk, vanilla, and sugar into the small bag, and seal it.
Place the small bag inside the large one, and seal it again carefully.
Shake until the mixture is ice cream, which takes about 5 minutes.
Wipe off the top of the small bag, then open it carefully. Enjoy!

Tips:
A 1/2 cup milk will make about 1 scoop of ice cream, so double the recipe if you want more. But don't increase the proportions more than that

~Enjoy! Alyssa Yandow

Chex Muddy Buddies

By Request....

9 cups of your favorite chex cereal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
½ cup peanut butter
1/4 cup margarine
1tsp. vanilla
1 ½ cup powdered sugar

Pour cereal into large bowl and set aside. In small sauce pan over low heat, melt chocolate chips, peanut butter and margarine until smooth, stirring often. remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate mixture over cereal, stirring until all pieces are evenly coated. Pour cereal into a ziploc bag with powdered sugar. Seal securely and shake until all pieces are well coated. Spread on waxed paper to cool.

Tortilla Soup

Ingredients:
1 Cup instant rice
2 Cups water
2 Chicken bouillon cubes
1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
1 can black beans
1 cup frozen corn

Toppings:
sour cream
shredded cheese
tortilla chips

In a large pot, combine all ingredients except toppings. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with toppings!

Super easy...that's the way to do it!